It has been a great few weeks for me here in Swaziland.  I hosted a group from Children's Hope Chest last week and was reminded again why Jodi and I are here.   We are people from all walks of life with the one goal of somehow making a difference here in Swaziland at such a time as this.  As you guys know we work with Adventures in Missions (AIM) and Children's Hope Chest (CHC), www.hopechest.org  This trip was a CHC trip of only 4 guys and that included Tom Davis, the president of CHC.  Jodi and I connected with these guys and visited like old friends.  We are connected because our hearts are broken for the poor and needy, the orphans and the widows, and we stand on behalf of those who cannot stand for themselves...

 

We visited several of our care points throughout the country. Some are in better shape than others, but the common denominator is kids are being cared for that would otherwise starve without the food provided here.  My heart broke anew, when I sat at a homestead of a lady that was dying from HIV/AIDS and TB. It is one thing to bring food to the care points to feed the thousands of orphans; it's a whole different story sitting down with a dying grandmother in her mud hut.

 

Here we were at this homestead in the bush, far from the comforts that I depend on every day. The reality is this lady will die soon, and I kept thinking that the one thing we all have in common as humans on this little planet is death. Death is the great Equalizer. Doesn't matter how hard you try to avoid it.

Here I was, sitting on the red African dirt, smelling the smoke from the fire cooking their meal for the evening - which consisted of beans and a little boiling pot of maize meal to feed the five of them.  I looked at the lady sitting on her mat and couldn't help but think about the fact that she is someone's mom, someone's daughter, someone's sister.  The woman opened up about her illness and my heart broke over the harshness of this life. She told us her joints hurt, she couldn't lift her arms, and she needed someone to help her stand. She had difficulty talking to us, and I couldn't believe how honest she was.

 

Two little boys, her grandchildren, were playing in a little tub which served as their bathtub, and they were all smiles, not aware at all of the dire straits they are in. I sat there wondering if their mom is also HIV positive and wondered about their futures.

 

The grandmother tells us that her biggest struggle is to get someone to take her to a clinic to get daily injections for her TB. Have you ever been in a situation when you feel that whatever you do, it won't be enough? I patted my pockets down for money, looked in the car for food, and I felt so inadequate - wondering how we could help this lady today. Tom Davis paid the public transport money and immediately met this lady's most desperate need. This means that for the next 45 days she can restart her regiment of TB shots. We layed hands on her and prayed for her. She was so grateful.

 

 The hour and a half drive home was a silent one, as we all were busy with our own thoughts. You can always look downstream and find someone that is in more need than yourself. I felt so blessed and so saddened at the same time.

 

The next day I sat with a dear Swazi brother of mine, Elliot, at his homestead in the rural area.  Elliot says I am his youngest born brother. We sat under a tree and talked about life. We walked between the rows of corn that was in desperate need of rain and he showed me his land and told me what he dreamed of doing with it. He was proud, almost beaming, and I realized that I have developed a soft spot for Elliot.

 

I love being here in Africa.  I love being in Swaziland.  While I love to be part of the lives of many, I mostly enjoy being part of individual's lives. The masses of needy people can be overwhelming, but Jodi and I want to make a difference in the lives of a few families. So, while we continue to help feed the masses, we want to personally give a lot to a few.  When we leave Swaziland, we want to feel that we have truly made a difference in people's lives...

 

Marius, Jodi & Emi